Portable fluid treatment and dispensing system

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for dispensing fluid to large numbers of people are disclosed. One embodiment of a portable apparatus for treating and dispensing fluid includes a housing that is fluidly attached to a fluid source. Several fluid delivery components are disposed within the housing to dispense fluid to a user. The fluid delivery components may include a pressure regulator, a backflow preventer, filters, cooling misters and dispensing valves such that the such that the fluid source integrity is protected, the fluid purity is improved, and the air within the housing is cooled which in turn provides cooling to the fluid delivery components and the fluid itself. This embodiment also includes a mechanism for providing ballast in the lower portion of the housing in order to stabilize the device and keep it from moving when bumped into by people (accidentally or intentionally) or in windy conditions, and a mechanism to empty the ballast for removal of the system.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,149, filed on Dec. 2, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Maintaining an appropriate hydration level is critical for a human's health and vitality. Today, large numbers of people attend many different events, often in crowded and hot areas. It is easy for people to become dehydrated in these types of situations, and many different solutions have been used to help address this problem.

A typical solution is to license vendors to sell bottled water at these large events. This approach, however, is expensive, inefficient and wasteful. The consumer typically pays a high price for a small, prefilled bottle of water that provides adequate hydration for only a short time. Further, there is often no way to refill this bottle and, as such, the consumer must purchase another bottle. Because of the cost, people are hesitant to buy the amount of fluid needed to keep properly hydrated. Furthermore, the dispensing of the fluid is inefficient since people must stand in line and pay for the fluid each time. Vendors must guess, based on weather forecasts and predicted attendance, the appropriate quantity to have on hand. Finally, the waste, in the form of empty plastic bottles, can create environmental concerns.

Other approaches have also been used. In one approach, a platform with wheels is used. Several fountain bubblers or other water dispensers are attached to the top of the platform. Tubing is routed beneath the platform and attached to the water dispensers. A water source is then connected to the platform at a single point to supply all of the water dispensers with a water stream. This approach has several shortcomings: unpredictable taste, difficult dispensing and susceptibility to vandalism. For instance, the water quality can vary in different locations across the country and this system has no water treatment capabilities. Also, left unused in the heat of the day, the water can become very warm and, hence, unpleasant to drink. Additionally, since the water dispenser is attached to the top of the shallow platform, only certain size drinking containers can be easily filled. Finally, despite weighing about 70 lbs. and taking up significant square footage, the unit is so delicate that it must be placed in a secure storage area each evening.

Another approach is to install a semi-permanent structure that must be monitored while water is dispensed. While this system can, with enough time and manpower, be torn down, moved and rebuilt in another location, it is in no way portable. It is also difficult to locate large numbers of these devices in various places around an event, especially if the event spans a large area, to adequately provide enough fluid to hydrate the crowd. The manpower and expense of this type of solution does not lend itself to wide adoption.

Yet another approach is to have a large, customized trailer that is towed into place and hooked to the local water supply. Disposable cups are filled by authorized personnel. However, these trailers are expensive to construct and operate, have a large footprint which limits where they can operate, generate waste, and are also not very portable.

Based on the above, there remains a need for a low cost, portable, efficient method of dispensing fluid to a great number of people.

SUMMARY

An apparatus and method for dispensing fluid to large numbers of people are disclosed. One embodiment of a portable apparatus for treating and dispensing fluid includes a housing that is fluidly attached to a fluid source. Several fluid delivery components are disposed within the housing to dispense fluid to a user. The fluid delivery components may include a pressure regulator, a backflow preventer, filters, cooling misters and one or more dispensing valves such that the fluid source integrity is protected, the fluid purity is improved; and the air within the housing is cooled, which in turn provides cooling to the fluid delivery components and the fluid itself. This embodiment also includes a mechanism for providing ballast in the lower portion of the housing in order to stabilize the device and keep it from moving when bumped into by people (accidentally or intentionally) or in windy conditions, and a mechanism to empty the ballast for removal of the system.

An embodiment of a method for treating and dispensing fluid to a number of users is also described. The method may include connecting a pressurized fluid source to a supply line to direct a fluid stream, protecting the fluid source from backflow contamination, filtering the fluid stream within a portable fluid delivery system, cooling the system using a plurality of cooling misters, and dispensing the fluid stream simultaneously from a number of fluid outlets.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a portable fluid delivery system.

FIG. 2 is an illustration demonstrating the portability and the types of events in which the system may be used.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting an illustrative process in an example implementation for dispensing the fluid.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a fluid delivery system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Today, fluid delivery systems that service large groups of people in locations that either do not have permanently installed fluid sources at all, or have minimal sources that do not currently lend themselves to dispensing to large numbers of people have not proven to be ideal to provide treated, cooled and easily available fluid. Embodiments of the present invention address these and other issues.

The portable fluid treatment and dispensing system described below provides users with a simple means of obtaining fluid to maintain appropriate hydration levels. The portable fluid treatment and dispensing system is also referred to as a fluid delivery system throughout this paper. In most instances, the fluid may comprise water; however, other ingestible fluids may be contemplated. Further the fluid is treated, cooled and provided to the user in locations in which such fluid was previously unavailable for ingestion by these users. The ease of use and expanded availability increases the chances of maintaining proper hydration, lowers the cost to the users and provides additional benefits for the environment.

Due to its portability and its lightweight construction, the fluid delivery system is easily carried to and from a remote dispensing location by a single person with no other human or mechanical assistance in some embodiments. The fluid delivery system is then connected to a fluid source and the system is filled to a predetermined level with fluid to act as a ballast to stabilize the system. The fluid delivery components within the housing treat and cool the fluid such that the fluid is ready to be dispensed from a number of dispensing valves protruding from the housing. The fluid used as a ballast is used only as a ballast and is not dispensed for consumption. That is, the ballast reservoir is separate from and not in fluid communication with dispensing valves to dispense the fluid to users. The foregoing explanation provides a brief overview of the portable fluid delivery system; however, a more detailed description follows. An illustrative system is described, followed by a description of an illustrative process.

Illustrative System

FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid delivery system 100. In the system 100, a user or users 102 are able to fill any size or shape container, such as a container that can be held by user 102 to receive fluid from the fluid delivery system 100. To enable the user 102 to fill a container in this manner, the fluid delivery system 100 uses a pressurized fluid source 104. In FIG. 1, the pressurized fluid source 104 is shown as a fire hydrant; however, the pressurized fluid source 104 may be any type of fluid source such as a water fountain with external fittings, a water spigot or sillcock, an indoor faucet, a tanker truck, a water treatment trailer or similar type of fluid source. In some embodiments, it may be preferable to have a fluid source that does not become depleted or that is easily replenished. Further, the fluid source is sufficiently pressurized to allow the fluid to flow through the fluid delivery system 100 for dispensing to the user 102.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a fitting 106 is connected to the pressurized fluid source 104. The fitting 106 may be an adapter that fits on a fire hydrant fitting or, if other types of pressurized fluid sources are used, it may be another type of fitting that connects to the fitting on a particular pressurized fluid source. The fitting 106 is generally an easily obtained fitting, such as a Style 37 2½″ NH×¾″ GHT Hydrant Adapter, manufactured by Red Head Brass of Shreve, Ohio in the case of the fluid source comprising a fire hydrant. The fitting 106 couples to a potable hose 108. The potable hose 108 is suitable for carrying fluid for drinking purposes. A potable hose, such as those used in recreational vehicle (RV) applications is suitable. Potable hose 108 couples, in turn, to a supply manifold 110. The supply manifold 110 may be used to supply multiple fluid delivery systems. In instances where a single fluid delivery system is used for a particular event, however, the system 100 may omit the supply manifold 110. However, in the case of larger events, two or more fluid delivery systems may be used and a manifold may be useful to optimize the available pressurized fluid sources. The supply manifold 110 may be a Y adaptor if only two fluid delivery systems are used or a different type of manifold may be used that has multiple connections if more than two fluid delivery systems are desired. Additionally, multiple Y adaptors may be used to connect more than two fluid delivery systems instead of a manifold with more than two connections.

FIG. 1 further illustrates that the potable hose 108 couples to a housing 112 through the use of a female fitting 114 and a male fitting 116. The housing 112 provides a protective structure to the fluid delivery components that reside within the housing 112. The housing 112 has a lid 150 to provide access to internal components for inspection, maintenance and repair. In some embodiments, the housing 112 is a food-grade barrel. Even though the fluid stream dispensed to the user 102 does not come into contact with the housing, most of the fluid delivery components and dispensing components (i.e., the components actually dispensing the fluid to the user 102) may reside within or may couple to the housing 112. As such it may be preferable in some instances to utilize food-grade materials.

The female fitting 114 attaches to the potable hose 108 as FIG. 1 illustrates. The male fitting 116, meanwhile, is secured through the wall of the housing 112. The male fitting 116 then couples within the female fitting 114 to form a generally leak-free connection to allow for a fluid stream to flow through the potable hose 108 and into the other fluid delivery components inside the housing 112. While a male/female fitting has been described, any fitting that allows for a pressurized fluid stream to flow leak-free through the connection may be used. The fitting 106, the supply manifold 110 and the potable hose 108 are located outside of the housing 112 and may be structurally reinforced to prevent accidental or intentional damage, and/or thermally insulated to prevent freezing or maintain a cooler temperature depending on the environmental conditions.

FIG. 1 also illustrates that a pressure regulator 118 couples to the portion of the male fitting 116 that extends internally into the housing 112. The pressure regulator 118 regulates the pressure of the fluid stream within a predetermined range. Typically, the desired pressure is similar to that of a U.S. household water pressure, such as around 40-70 psi, although other embodiments may employ any other pressure range. A main supply line 120 couples to the pressure regulator 118 at one end and a double check valve assembly 122 at the other end. The double check valve assembly 122 (or “backflow preventer”) prevents the fluid from flowing backwards into main supply lines 120 and 108 and potentially contaminating the fluid source. The double check valve assembly 122 also may include a strainer to minimize contamination in the fluid and protect downstream system components. The fluid is filtered through the strainer to collect bits of materials, metals, etc. that may be a part of the fluid stream. The double check valve assembly may be a pre-fabricated assembly, such as part number 007QT-S manufactured by Watts® Water Technologies of North Andover, Mass. However, other similar backflow preventers may be used.

The fluid stream shown in FIG. 1 then flows through filter supply line 124 that couples at one end with the double check valve assembly 122 and at the other end to a filter 126. The filter 126 filters the fluid stream and removes contaminants in the fluid that may affect taste and/or smell. These contaminants may include chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other impurities. In another embodiment that is not shown, the backflow preventer and the filter may be placed in a separate enclosure located outside the housing 112. In this embodiment, the backflow preventer and the filter enclosure is located immediately after the pressurized fluid source 104 for the system. The rest of the system may remain the same except for the elimination of the double check valve assembly 122 and the filter 126 internally in the housing 112. Such an arrangement provides an opportunity for a much larger filter in the event such a large capacity filter is necessary. In either embodiment, any type of household filter may be used such as the Big Blue 10″ filter, part number 150469 manufactured by Pentek® of Milwaukee, Wis. In addition, other types of filters may be contemplated such as multiple cartridge filters, sediment filters, and even reverse osmosis systems. The primary purpose of the filter is to provide high quality drinking water that tastes similar no matter the location or the output from the local water supply system.

As discussed above, the housing 112 shown in FIG. 1 and the fluid delivery components disposed within the housing 112 may be relatively lightweight to ensure portability and provide flexibility. For instance, the system 100 may be of a total weight that allows a single worker to carry the housing 112 and the components therein to a remote dispensing location without any other human or mechanical assistance. However, this lightweight design may cause the system to be unstable in some environments when empty (i.e., filled only with air). For instance, in some applications the system 100 may be positioned on uneven ground, may be subject to windy environments, or may be positioned at a large event such that it is likely that people may bump into the system (accidentally or intentionally). Each of these circumstances could cause the system 100 to become unstable and possibly fall over.

To counter this potential instability created by the lightweight design, the system may implement a ballast system to more firmly anchor the system to the ground when the system is positioned and coupled to a pressurized fluid source. For instance, the system 100 may include a ballast manifold 128, which fluidly connects to the output of the filter 126. The ballast manifold 128 directs the fluid stream in different directions. The first direction is toward a ballast level valve 130. The ballast float valve 130 allows the fluid stream to spill into the internal cavity of the housing 112 up to a certain level 132. By allowing fluid to fill the lower portion of the housing 112, 100 pounds or more of additional weight is added to the housing 112 to substantially lower the center of gravity and provide stability to the system. The ballast level valve 130 is positioned to allow the fluid stream to flow to a certain ballast level 132 at which point the ballast level valve 130 will rise with the fluid level and shut off the fluid stream to the internal cavity of the housing 112. If the ballast fluid level falls for any reason, the ballast level valve will descend, allowing fluid to again fill the cavity to the preset ballast fluid level. As the ballast fluid level rises, the level valve rises and shuts off fluid to the cavity once the preset ballast fluid level is reached. In some examples, the ballast fluid is disposed below the fluid delivery components.

Furthermore, in FIG. 1, in order to provide a backup mechanism for the ballast level valve 130 in the event of a malfunction, an overflow drain 134 may be incorporated in the housing wall. The overflow drain 134 is also valuable in normal operation. For example, the cooling misters 144 (described below) introduce additional fluid in the housing 112. In the event there is no seepage of fluid from the housing 112 or evaporation of fluid from the housing 112, the overflow drain 134 allows for weeping of an amount of fluid comparable to the amount added from the cooling misters 144 in order to maintain a preset ballast fluid level. The overflow drain 134 may be a hole cut in the housing wall that stays unplugged or it may use a drain line adapter that remains open. Further, there may be multiple overflow drains 134 located around the outside of the housing to prevent the housing 112 from filling with fluid in the event the ballast level valve 130 fails.

The fluid drain valve 136 (described below) or the overflow drain 134 (if the drain line adapter is in place) may be used to attach an additional hose to allow ballast fluid to be drained away from the system to prevent the weeping from occurring at the installation location. In addition, there may be a desire to run more fluid through the system such that more than just a weeping amount of fluid may be drained. For example, on a very hot day, for a long hose run exposed to the sun and/or sitting on a heat absorbing surface such as asphalt or concrete, it may be desirable to allow a small amount of fluid to flow through the system to help maintain the freshness and coolness of the fluid.

The FIG. 1 system 100 may also need to be removed from the remote dispensing location after an event is completed. Consequently, the ballast fluid may be purged prior to moving the housing 112. To do this purging, the system 100 includes a fluid drain valve 136 to purge the ballast fluid either prior to moving the housing 112 or as another manual backup protection in the event the ballast level valve 130 fails. Any type of fluid drain valve 136 may be used that provides for controlled, on/off removal of the fluid, such as a ¼ turn sillcock valve manufactured by Mueller® Water Products of Atlanta, Ga.

A purge outlet 138 may also be incorporated in the housing wall 112 in FIG. 1. The purge outlet 138 provides for quick removal of the ballast fluid by providing a larger, closable outlet in the housing wall. As such, the design of the system 100 provides a lightweight and portable solution that is nevertheless secure when in use.

As stated earlier, the fluid stream of FIG. 1 may leave the ballast manifold 128 in different directions. One direction is towards the ballast level valve 130 as previously described. The other direction is through a dispensing supply line 140. When the ballast level valve 130 is raised, fluid leaving the ballast manifold 128 travels in the direction of the dispensing supply line 140. The dispensing supply line 140 couples at one end to the ballast manifold 128 and at the other end to a dispensing line manifold 142. The dispensing line manifold 142 is designed to disperse the fluid flow in as many directions as necessary, depending on the number of dispensing outlets 148 desired.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the fluid stream leaves the dispensing line manifold and proceeds through the dispensing valve supply line 146. A cooling device, such as a cooling mister or misters 144, is inserted into the dispensing valve supply line 146 such that the cooling mister 144 is sitting on top of and connected to the dispensing valve supply line 146. In this configuration, only a small portion of the fluid flows through the tiny openings in the cooling mister 144. The majority of the fluid continues to flow through the dispensing valve supply line 146. The cooling mister 144 may be an evaporative mist cooling device such as part number 10106 from Orbit® of Bountiful, Utah. The cooling mister 144 cools the air within the housing 112, which in turn cools the fluid delivery components located within the housing 112 to further provide for cooling the fluid stream. On a hot summer day, for instance, it is possible for the air temperature to reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit or more within the housing 112. In some embodiments the cooling device may have the capability to reduce the temperature as much as 25 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit within the housing 112. This is accomplished by circulating cool water from the supply line through the air and reservoir inside the housing 112.

A dispensing valve supply line 146 couples to the cooling mister 144 at one end and to a dispensing outlet 148 at the other end. The dispensing outlet 148 or container filler faucet may be a glass filler faucet manufactured by CHG® of Lakewood, N.J. Other types of dispensing outlets may be used that, manually and/or automatically, are easily turned on and off and which accommodate a variety of handheld containers that may be utilized by users. For example, in a manual operation, the dispensing outlets 148 may be activated by simply pushing a container against the dispensing outlets 148 and removing the container to stop the flow. In automatic operation, a self-closing push dispensing outlet 148 may be used. In this type of operation, the fluid stream is activated when a user operates a handle on the dispensing outlet 148 and the fluid dispenses for a predetermined period of time after the user releases the handle. In another type of automatic operation, the fluid stream is activated at the dispensing outlet 148 when a container is detected at the fluid outlet. This may be accomplished by an object or motion sensor mechanically, optically, sonically or by another similar method. The fluid stream is deactivated when the container is no longer detected. The dispensing outlet 148 is secured by the wall of the housing 112 and extends internally from the dispensing valve supply line 146 through the housing wall 112 such that the dispensing portion of the dispensing outlet 148 protrudes externally from the housing for dispensing of the fluid by the user 102. In the case of multiple dispensing outlets 148, several users 102 may dispense fluid into their respective containers simultaneously. In some embodiments, the dispensing outlets 148 may be treated with an antimicrobial coating that prevents the growth of bacteria such as AgION™ from Agion Technologies of Wakefield, Mass.

The system 100 in FIG. 1 is designed such that the dispensing outlets 148 are located at a height at which people 102 of all sizes can access the outlet. Further, the dispensing outlets 148 are handicap accessible (e.g., a person in a wheelchair can pull up to the system and easily access a dispensing outlet 148) and ADA compliant (the self-closing push features ensure universal accessibility).

In some embodiments, the system 100 may also include security measures to secure the housing 112 and hinder tampering with the internal fluid delivery components of the system 100. In one embodiment, a lid 150 of the housing 112 may be locked to the housing 112 (not shown). The lid 150 may be locked using a stainless steel coupler latch model 1481DAT from Master Lock of Oak Creek, Wis. or any other suitable means. While this prevents the components located internally in the housing 112 from being tampered with, this solution does not secure the housing 112.

An additional security device to secure the housing 112 and prevent theft is shown in FIG. 1. One or more metal U-bolts 154 or security attachment points are secured to the housing wall using bolts or some other fastening mechanism such that the U-bolts 154 are secured internally within the housing 112 and extend through the housing wall. A metal torus link chain 156 may be permanently attached to the U-bolts 154. The chain 156 may be in two pieces such that it can be routed around an immovable, secured object to prevent theft. A padlock 158 may be used to lock the two free ends of the chain 156 around a secured object in order to secure the system 100. The immovable object may be a tree, a chain link fence or a concrete post with attachment points or any other immovable object that would secure the system 100. While a few examples of security devices have been discussed, other embodiments may utilize multiple additional or alternative security devices.

Finally, FIG. 1 illustrates that the system 100 may further serve as an advertisement medium. For instance, an advertisement 152 may also be placed on the lid 150 to provide additional revenue or to advertise the event at which the fluid delivery system 100 is being utilized. In another embodiment (not shown), a raised portion may be attached to the lid 150 of the housing 112 such that the advertisement is displayed on the side of the raised portion for increased visibility. Advertisements may also be displayed on the housing 112 itself

Referring now to FIG. 2, the portability of the fluid delivery system is illustrated. A service provider worker 202 may carry the system 204 by themselves without other human or mechanical assistance. The system 204 encompasses the housing 112 in FIG. 1 as well as all of the components disposed within the housing 112 and connected to the housing 112. The design of the fluid delivery system 204 is configured to weigh less than 30 pounds in some embodiments to allow this portability. The system can weigh as much as 50 pounds and still allow delivery by a single person without assistance depending on the person delivering the system. However, the 30 pound weight allows people of all sizes to deliver the system. Furthermore, the service provider 202 may carry the system 204 to a variety of remote dispensing locations such as public events 206, parks 208, private events 210 and sporting events 212. These events may include festivals, soccer games, weddings, parties, and construction jobs to name a few. Furthermore, the service provider 202 may temporarily install the system 204 at parks, schools and other locations for certain seasons (e.g., the entire summer or the fall football season) or for other extended periods of time.

Illustrative Process

The following discussion describes a process for dispensing fluid depicted in FIG. 3. The process is shown as a set of blocks that specify operations performed. Note that the order in which the process is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described acts can be combined in any order to implement the process, or an alternate process. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from the process without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. It should also be noted that the following example procedure may be implemented in a wide variety of environments without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting a procedure 300 in an example implementation in which one or more users are able to dispense fluid in a remote dispensing location. In operation 302, the system is delivered (e.g., carried, driven, etc.) by a service provider worker to a remote dispensing location as described above in FIG. 2. The remote dispensing locations may be locations such as locations 206, 208, 210 and 212 in FIG. 2. A supply line configured to carry fluid to a fluid stream is then coupled to a pressurized fluid or source in operation 304. The supply line includes the potable hose, the main supply line, the filter supply line and the dispensing supply line described above in FIG. 1.

In operation 306, the fluid source is protected from backflow contamination in the event of pressure loss. As described earlier in FIG. 1, a double check valve assembly or backflow preventer is used in one embodiment.

In operation 308 of FIG. 3, the fluid stream is filtered to remove contaminants that affect the taste and smell of the fluid to make it more pleasant to drink for the user(s) of the system. The system is cooled in operation 310 using a plurality of cooling misters disposed on the dispensing supply line. The misters cool the air within the housing, which in turn cools the fluid delivery components and the fluid stream. The fluid is dispensed in operation 312 simultaneously from a number of fluid dispensing outlets into a variety of containers that are brought by the users to be filled.

The pressurized fluid source is disconnected from the supply line and the ballast fluid is purged from the housing in operation 314 in order to minimize the weight of the system. The system is then removed from the remote dispensing location in operation 316.

Additional Embodiments of a Fluid Delivery System

In some examples, a fluid delivery system may couple to a water source. The water source may comprise a non-municipal water source such as an atmospheric water generator, a river-fed water source, a manually or automatically pumped water source (e.g., hand-pump, bicycle-pump, fish pump, submersible pump, injection pump), a syphoned water source (which in some instances may pull the fluid through a flow path), or any other type of water source that provides directional flow to a fluid provided by the water source. The water source may be located proximate to the housing or remote from the housing.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise a coupling between the water source and a hose to connect the water source to a plurality of fluid delivery components disposed within a housing of the fluid delivery system. In some examples, the coupling between the water source and the hose may comprise a lockable connection such that the hose may be secured against accidental or malicious removal from the water source. The coupling may comprise a permanently attached splitter, such as a Y or T fitting, especially in instances where multiple fluid delivery systems may be daisy chained together. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a timer to control whether the water source is on or off. In some examples, the water source of the fluid delivery system may comprise a hose shut-off switch or valve to control whether the water source provides fluid responsive to a drop in pressure of the flow path (e.g., if the flow path has a leak).

In some examples, the hose may couple to the plurality of fluid delivery components within the housing via a fitting communicatively coupled to the plurality of fluid delivery components. In some examples, the fitting may be disposed on or coupled to the housing. The fitting may comprise an external locking connection, such as a quick connect or threaded connection, to prevent accidental or malicious removal of the hose from the housing. The fitting may permanently or removably couple the hose to the plurality of fluid delivery components. In some examples, the fitting may be at least partially disposed inside the housing. In some examples, the fitting may be at least partially disposed outside the housing. The hose itself may be stored at least partially inside the housing. In some embodiments, the fitting may comprise an angled bend (e.g., a 90° bend) such that the hose may run along a side of the housing when the hose is coupled to the fitting. In some instances, the hose may comprise a specialized hose such as an armored hose manufactured by Armadillo Hose Products of Boulder, Colo. that may include additional protection against damage and blockage when folded or compressed. In some instances, the hose may comprise a specialized hose with a thermally insulated and/or reflective coating to minimize heat transfer to the fluid from direct exposure to the sun, the ground, and/or ambient air.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise a housing. The housing may comprise many different shapes, such as a rectangular prism shape (e.g., a box, a tub, or a bin), a cylindrical shape (e.g., a barrel), a traditional drinking fountain shape, a varying cross-sectional shape (e.g., a wide base with a skinny top), or any other shape suitable for housing a plurality of fluid delivery components. In some examples, the shape of the housing may comprise a stabilizing cavity in a lower portion. In some examples, the housing may comprise a smaller size suitable for operating on or below a tabletop, such as a 7802 tool box manufactured by Rubbermaid Commercial of Winchester, Va. In some examples, the housing may comprise a rigid, semi-rigid, tough, and/or sturdy material. In some examples, the housing may comprise a flexible material. The housing may comprise a dromedary bag, a water pillow, a collapsible water tank, a bladder, and/or combinations thereof. In some instances, the housing may comprise an opening and/or a transparent or translucent material to provide visibility into an interior of the housing. For instance, the housing may comprise a pipe frame with supporting brackets. In some examples, the housing may comprise a material with insulating properties, such as foam or plastic. The housing may comprise a highly durable material to withstand a forceful impact, such as metal or Kevlar. In some examples, the housing may comprise a tamper-resistant material, such as a marking ink, to indicate if someone has attempted to tamper with the housing.

In some embodiments, the housing, and/or a portion of the housing (e.g., a bottom) may comprise a flexible material, such as a durable bag. For instance, the housing may be collapsible for easy transportation to and from events at which the fluid delivery system is to be installed. In other examples, the housing may comprise a cost-effective container available for purchase at a typical hardware store, such as a Rubbermaid® bin or trash receptacle. The housing may comprise wheels disposed on a bottom of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, stabilizing feet may be disposed on the bottom of the housing to secure the housing to the ground and/or increase a footprint of the housing to avoid flipping. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise external ballasts disposed on (e.g., hanging or resting on) an exterior of the housing, additionally or alternatively to having an internal ballast system. For instance, the fluid delivery system may comprise a bag or multiple bags filled with water or sand coupled to or resting on the exterior of the housing or a stabilizing foot or base.

In some examples, the plurality of fluid delivery components may comprise a backflow preventer. In some instances, the back flow preventer may comprise a U drain trap, such as those often found below kitchen sinks. In other examples, the backflow preventer may comprise a specialized valve that opens responsive to a change in pressure of the flow path. For instance, when the pressure of the flow path reaches a threshold, the specialized valve may open and direct backflow water into a ballast cavity disposed in the bottom portion of the housing.

In some examples, the plurality of fluid delivery components may comprise a pressure regulator. The pressure regulator may be disposed at any position in the flow path formed by the plurality of fluid delivery components. For instance, the pressure regulator may couple to the fitting, to the backflow preventer, to a filter, to a ballast manifold, to a fluid dispensing component, or anywhere else in the flow path.

In some embodiments, the plurality of fluid delivery components may comprise a filter, or in other embodiments, the filter may be omitted. The filter may comprise a bayonet style filter. For instance, the filter may comprise a type of filter that does not require O-rings, a wrench for installation or removal, or a sealant. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a purifier in addition to or alternatively to comprising a filter. The purifier may remove unwanted impurities, such as biological contaminants, viruses, chemicals, and/or other materials, in the fluid, improving the overall safety of the water. The filter may rid the water of any impurities through a physical barrier, chemicals, or biological processes, improving the taste and odor of the water. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise a coconut shell filter, xylem from white pine wood, ceramics, a mechanical filter, a chemical filter, an electronic filter, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the filter may target a removal of one of the 316 Environmental Working Group (EWG) identified chemicals and/or one or more of the 202 unregulated identified chemicals. The filter may target removal of fluoride, benzene, chromium-6, barium, cadmium, copper, mercury, asbestos, and/or combinations thereof. In some examples, the filter may provide an indication of an amount of water that has flowed or is flowing through the filter and/or an indication that the filter should be replaced.

In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a ballast system. The ballast system may comprise a volume of fluid diverted from the flow path into a cavity disposed in the bottom portion of the housing. In some instances, the volume of fluid of the ballast system may stabilize the housing mechanically (e.g., by lowering a center of gravity of the housing) and/or thermally (e.g., by replacing a volume of air with a volume of water and increasing the average internal specific heat of the housing). The volume of fluid may be cooled by a continuous flow of fluid through the housing. In some examples, the ballast system may stabilize the housing independently from a dispensing of fluid from a dispensing component. For instance, the ballast system may provide stability until the ballast system is drained and/or the fluid delivery system is uninstalled. In some embodiments, fluid may be diverted from the flow path into the cavity until the fluid reaches a predetermined or desired level in the cavity. The filling may be responsive to a level valve. In other examples, the fluid may be diverted from the flow path into the cavity responsive to an electronic eye, a laser sensor, a ball cock, a ball tap, a lever, a check-valve, an auto-shutoff valve, a dyed water color sensor, and/or combinations thereof. The filing may be fully automatic, manual, or semi-automatic.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise a drain valve disposed on the housing. The drain valve may be positioned adjacent to the cavity such that opening the drain valve releases the stabilizing fluid from the cavity to an exterior of the housing. In some instances, the drain valve may have a security feature (e.g., a lock) so only authorized personnel may open the drain valve. For example, the drain valve may be opened and the stabilizing fluid evacuated during uninstallation and/or relocation of the fluid delivery system.

In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise an overflow drain disposed on the housing. The overflow valve may be positioned at a predetermined stabilizing fluid level, such that any volume of fluid that exceeds the predetermined level exits the housing via the overflow drain. In some instances, a hose may couple to the overflow valve for transporting an excess volume of fluid from the housing to an area remote from the housing. In some examples, the hose may be removed and reattached to the drain valve to allow the ballast water to be redirected to a designated location, as well.

In some embodiments, the plurality of fluid delivery components may comprise a distribution aperture (e.g., a mister, a bypass, a hole) for diverting fluid from the flow path to an interior portion of the housing. In some examples, the diverted fluid may disperse into the internal air of the housing maintain an internal air temperature at or near the temperature of the fluid. In some examples, the diverted fluid may collect in a cavity at the bottom of the housing to provide mechanical and/or thermal stability, as described above. By diverting some of the fluid from the flow path into the interior of the housing and, in some instances, ultimately out the overflow drain, the fluid delivery system may continually cycle the fluid through the system independent of whether or not fluid is being dispensed to a user from the flow path via a dispensing component. By moving fluid through the system, flushing the system, and/or bleeding off excess fluid, the internal temperature of the supply line of the plurality of fluid delivery components may be regulated. In some examples, the distribution aperture may be toggled open or closed, such as with a cap or a controllable valve. For instance, the fluid delivery system may be used indoors, where closing the distribution aperture may prevent an excess of water from escaping through the overflow drain.

In some examples, the distribution aperture may couple to a cooling device such as one or more spray nozzles, drip lines, or the like to cool the interior of the housing by spraying, dripping, or trickling the fluid onto some or all of the dispensing components and/or into an interior of the housing. For instance, the fluid being conveyed into the interior space may have a temperature below a temperature of the interior space. This temperature difference may cause the fluid being conveyed into the interior space to absorb thermal energy from the air of the interior space and/or from the plurality of fluid delivery components, which cools a fluid within the plurality of fluid delivery components. In some examples, evaporation may cool the fluid delivery system. Additional distribution apertures or misters may provide a mist or spray of water to the exterior area around the housing, for instance, to spray and cool people in the vicinity of the fluid delivery system.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise a thermostat communicatively coupled to the distribution aperture that may signal a controller to activate a cooling system when an internal temperature of the housing rises above a predetermined temperature set point. For instance, the controller may store a predetermined temperature threshold value, which the controller may compare to an input received from the thermostat. When the thermostat provides an indication of the internal temperature of the housing that is greater than the predetermined temperature set point, the controller may activate the cooling system, conveying water through the distribution apertures to the interior of the housing. The controller may be proximate to the fluid delivery system or remote from the fluid delivery system, in which case the controller may provide remote control over the fluid delivery system.

In some embodiments, the plurality of fluid delivery components may comprise a plurality of connectable hoses. For instance, the hoses may couple together via barbed, compression, threaded, flared, push-to-connect, quick-disconnect, and/or quick-turn tube fittings.

In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise an electricity generator. The electricity generator may comprise a hydro-powered generator, such as a water wheel (or other generator capable of generating power from a flow of pressurized fluid) which, in some examples, may receive a flow of water from the flow path. The electricity generator may be disposed in-line with the flow path, or water may be diverted from the flow path to the electricity generator. In some instances, the fluid delivery system may provide electricity to an outlet or recharging station coupled to the fluid delivery system (e.g., so users may recharge their phones). Electricity may be provided to a hands-free dispenser, a refill counter, an advertising display sign, a system monitor including one or more sensors, or any other component of the fluid delivery system that may require electricity. Additionally or alternatively, electricity may be provided by a solar array and/or a battery. In some instances, power may be provided by a combination of fluid-generated electricity, solar energy, and/or batteries. In some instances, a battery may provide back-up power and/or may be charged by one of the other power sources.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise a dispensing component for dispensing fluid from the plurality of fluid delivery components to a user. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a single dispensing component while, in other examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise multiple dispensing components. The dispensing component(s) may protrude externally from the housing, coupling to the housing and/or the plurality of fluid delivery components via one or more fittings. In some examples, the dispensing component may comprise a tap, spigot, fountain, or combinations thereof. The dispensing component may comprise a mouth guard to prevent the dispensing component from directly contacting a user's lips. In some examples, the dispensing component may comprise hands-free, no-touch, foot, audio (e.g., voice), and/or light activation. The dispensing component may be activated mechanically, optically, sonically, chemically, electronically, wirelessly, and/or combinations thereof. In some examples, the dispensing component may comprise a static dispenser, such as a pipe with spray holes, which may dispense fluid whenever the fluid delivery system is activated (e.g., by a motion sensor).

In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a catch tray disposed under the dispensing component for catching unused water. The catch tray may prevent water from collecting on the ground, for instance, during use indoors. The catch tray may funnel used water into a reservoir in the housing and/or a drain. The fluid delivery system may comprise a refill or “Use” counter communicatively coupled to the dispensing component for indicating how many times the dispensing component has been activated and/or how much fluid has been dispensed. The “Use” counter may provide information useful for measuring marketing efforts and/or goals. In some instances, the fluid delivery system may be treated with an antimicrobial coating to prevent the growth of bacteria such as AgION™ from Agion Technologies of Wakefield, Mass.

In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a housing having a top and/or a side exterior surface. In some examples, an advertisement may be disposed on the top and/or side exterior surfaces. A flag may extend from the fluid delivery system, presenting information about the fluid delivery system and/or providing a space for advertisements. The flag may be permanently attached, removably attached, and/or telescopic. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise vending functionality. For instance, credit card scanner or a mobile device scanner may communicatively couple to the dispenser, providing a system for purchasing a set amount of water and/or for making a donation (e.g., to an event at which the dispenser is located, an organization that made the dispenser available, a website such as www.water.org, or the like). For instance, the controller may comprise a bluetooth, wi-fi, or cellular transmitter to establish a communication channel between the controller and a user's mobile device. Once communication has been established, an application (e.g., a web application or preprogrammed instructions resident on the controller) may facilitate a transaction between the user and the fluid delivery system.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may convey water from a water source to a user. In some instances, the fluid delivery system may comprise an additive reservoir communicatively coupled to a stream of fluid being dispensed. The additive reservoir may provide a taste, odor, texture and/or nutritional additive and/or combinations thereof from the reservoir to the fluid, so that a user may receive a modified beverage. Additionally or alternatively, a carbon dioxide injection system may be communicatively couple to the stream of fluid, so that a user may receive a carbonated beverage. In some examples, the fluid delivery system may comprise a cup dispenser (e.g., wherein the cups pop up through the top of a cylindrical tube) which may be attached to the housing, for instance, on an exterior side of the housing.

In some examples, a heater may be disposed within the housing or otherwise coupled to the housing for heating the water to be dispensed. In some examples, the heater may maintain an internal temperature of the housing, which in turn maintains the plurality of fluid delivery components at that temperature. A chocolate additive system may communicatively couple to the heated water being dispensed.

In some embodiments, the fluid delivery system may comprise multiple portions assembled together. In some instances, the multiple portions may be assembled at an assembly plant or factory, then shipped as a single unit. In other instances, the multiple portions may be shipped unassembled. In some examples, the multiple portions may comprise a top, a bottom, a side, filters, brackets, and/or dispensers. The filters, brackets, and/or dispensers may be coupled to the top, bottom or side prior to or after shipping. The bottom may comprise the cavity for holding a stabilizing fluid. In some embodiments, the multiple portions may comprise a kit, which may include quick-connect systems dispensers or brackets. For instance, the kit may comprise holes predrilled into the housing. In other examples, a user of the kit my drill their own holes into the housing. The housing may comprise a side access door in addition to or alternatively to a top access door.

In some examples the fluid delivery system may dispense fluid according to programmable instructions. For instance, the controller may comprise a memory with the programmable instructions and a processing unit. The controller may communicatively couple to one or more sensors, valves, and/or switches to control any components of the fluid delivery system for generating electrical power, controlling electrical components, cooling or heating all or part of the system, establishing a stabilizing ballast, and/or dispensing the fluid, for example. One or more transmitters and/or sensors located at one or more components (e.g., the supply line, the filter, the dispersion aperture, the ballast manifold, the dispensing components, etc.) may convey status information to the controller.

FIG. 4 depicts an example fluid delivery system 400 employing a number of the features discussed above. The fluid delivery system 400 may comprise a controller 402 which may control an internal 404 temperature of the housing 406. The controller 402 may receive information from a thermostat 408 and may open or close a valve 410 coupled to the distribution aperture 412 based on the received information. For instance, the information may be compared to temperature threshold values 414 stored in a memory communicatively coupled to the controller 402.

In some instances, a sensor, receiver, transmitter and/or transceiver 416 may communicate with the controller 402 to notify the controller 402 that a filter needs to be changed. The notification may be a visible and/or audible alarm or signal sent wirelessly (e.g., wi-fi, Bluetooth, cellular, etc.) to a nearby electronic device and/or transmitted to a remote web service to notify users. The web service notification may be updated/modified via a mobile device. The transceiver 416 may communicatively couple to an input/output module 418 or comprise a portion of the input/output module 418. The input/output module 418 may be configured to receive an input signal from any components of the fluid delivery system 400, and/or to send an output signal to any components of the fluid delivery system, such as in a voltage waveform.

In some examples, the controller 402 may communicatively couple to one or more power sources 420, such as those discussed above. The controller 402 may monitor the power being supplied to any components of the fluid delivery system 400 that consume power, such as a recharging station, a refill counter, a “Use” counter 422, an advertising sign, a battery, etc. The controller 402 may open or close valves to redirect fluid in the flow path to a hydro-power generator based on whether power is needed by any components of the fluid delivery system 400. The controller 402 may include a power management scheme 424 comprising programmable instructions for managing the one or more power sources 420 and/or the components of the system that consume power.

In some examples, the controller 402 may control a flow of fluid from a pressurized fluid source 426 to a dispensing component 428, the distribution aperture 412, and/or a ballast cavity 430. For instance, the controller 402 may control one or more switches and/or valves coupled to a plurality of fluid delivery components 432 based on a signal received from one or more components of the fluid delivery system 400 discussed herein.

Example Use Scenarios of a Fluid Delivery System

Discussed above are several example implementations of a fluid delivery system for dispensing water from a pressurized water source. The example fluid delivery systems of FIGS. 1 and 4 are but two examples that use subsets of the features and components discussed herein. In other examples, systems according to this disclosure may employ any one or more of the features described herein to arrive at a wide range of fluid treatment and/or dispensing systems. The following description describes an example use scenario of these or other systems according to this disclosure.

In some implementations, the fluid delivery system may be implemented on a warm day and may be positioned in direct sunlight. The outside temperature may reach about 95° Fahrenheit during the day and drop to about 55° Fahrenheit during the night. The fluid delivery system may couple to a fluid source that provides water with a temperature of about 60° Fahrenheit. For instance, the fluid delivery system may couple to the fluid source via a ⅝″ ID hose, which may be fully exposed to the sun.

In some implementation, after six hours of exposure to sunlight, an internal housing temperature of the fluid delivery system may remain relatively cool, below about 70° Fahrenheit. During the six hours, an outdoor temperature may have increased from about 65° Fahrenheit to about 90° Fahrenheit. Absent a cooling system (e.g., distribution apertures), temperatures within the housing could reach an excess of 110° due to solar energy absorption. In some instances, the internal temperature of the housing may remain below the outdoor temperature because the dispersion apertures may bathe the interior of the housing and the plurality of fluid delivery components within the housing with mist from the fluid source. A continuous misting may move water through the system (independent of dispensing any drinking water) at a continuous rate, for instance, of about 0.5 gallons/hour. The continuous flow of water through the components of the system, such as the ⅝″ ID hose exposed to the sun, may limit an amount of time the water is heated by sunlight.

For instance, the ⅝″ ID hose may hold about 0.4 gallons of water and the plurality of fluid delivery components disposed in the housing may hold about 0.1 gallon of water. This water may continuously move through the system by the distribution apertures and the overflow drain such that it absorbs limited sunlight. In some instances, a 0.5 gallon/hour flow of water through the distribution apertures may replace all of the water within the fluid delivery components with new water each hour.

In some implementations, when the water source is coupled to the housing and turned on, a lower portion of the housing may fill with ballast water conveyed from the water source through the distribution apertures. In some instances, the lower portion may comprise the lower 40% of the housing in terms of height and/or volume. The lower portion of the housing may contain a level valve that automatically fills the lower portion until it reaches a predetermined threshold, such as 40% and/or, for instance, 20 gallons of water. In some instances, the ballast water may comprise a diurnal thermal mass to reduce interior temperature swings of the housing that may otherwise occur due to daily solar heating and/or nighttime cooling. In some examples, a volume of ballast water may absorb more heat energy during the day as a same volume of air would. For instance, water has a specific heat of about 4.2 J/gK and air has a specific heat of about 1.0 J/gK. In some examples, the ballast water may work in conjunction with the distribution apertures to minimize a temperature of the water dispensed from the dispensing component to a user.

In some implementations, an outdoor nighttime temperature of 55° Fahrenheit may cause the interior housing temperature to fall to 55° Fahrenheit during night. In some examples, an outdoor temperature (e.g., 55° Fahrenheit) which is lower than a water source temperature (e.g., 60° Fahrenheit) may cause the dispensed water to have a temperature lower than the source water temperature by lowering the interior housing temperature below the water source temperature.

In some implementations, the distribution aperture may continually dispense water into the housing. The overflow drain may continually evacuate all of the water that exceeds a predetermined amount of water. The distribution aperture and the overflow drain may provide a continuous flow of water through the system, even when water is not being dispensed by the dispensing components. In some examples, the continuous flow may comprise a flow rate of about 0.5 gallons/hour. Depending on the size and volume of the housing, a ballast water level may rise at a rate of about 0.5 inches/hour until it reaches the predetermined level. The ballast water may reach the predetermined level and excess water may begin exiting the housing via the overflow drain about 4 hours after the fluid delivery system is installed and activated. In some instances, a portion of the ballast water near the top of the ballast water may comprise a higher temperature than a portion of the ballast water near the bottom of the ballast water, due to warmer water having a lower density than colder water. In some examples, the warmer portion of the ballast water may exit through the overflow drain.

In some implementations, the fluid delivery system may dispense water with an optimal temperature for human consumption, such as about 70° Fahrenheit. Depending on the temperature of the source water and the outside temperature, the water dispensed may have a temperature in the range of about 65° to about 75°. In some implementations, the dispensed water may comprise a temperature up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the outside temperature.

In some instances, ice and/or electricity may be communicatively coupled to the source water to remove energy (i.e., heat) from the source water, reducing the temperature of the dispensed water. In that case, the dispensed water may be even cooler (e.g., more than 40° colder) than the outside temperature.

In some implementations, the fluid delivery system may comprise a periodic flushing to avoid bacterial growth, which may affect a flavor of the water. The fluid delivery system may be flushed when the fluid delivery system is initially setup. For instance, in some configurations, water may flow from the water source, through a filter disposed in a flow path of the water, before entering the ballast cavity in the lower portion of the housing. By passing the ballast water through the filter during initial setup, the filter cartridge may be flushed. The continuous flow of water through the distribution apertures and the overflow drain discussed above may also flush the filter. In some implementations, the filter may be flushed when a ballast drain valve is opened and a ballast level valve communicatively coupled to the flow path directs all of the water in the flow path into the lower portion of the housing and out the ballast drain valve, for instance, during uninstallation of the system. In some examples, the filter may be oriented such that it fully drains via gravity.

In some implementations, the fluid delivery system may have a weight of about 35 pounds when uninstalled. The fluid delivery system may be easily transported and installed by a single person without assistance. Upon installation, the fluid delivery system may comprise about 165 pounds of ballast water weight. The fluid delivery system with the ballast water may comprise a weight of about 200 pounds. In some instances, the weight of the fluid delivery system may deter theft.

In some implementations, the fluid delivery system may comprise a ballast cavity in the bottom portion of the housing. In some examples, a center of gravity of the fluid delivery system may lower when the ballast cavity is filled with stabilizing fluid. For instance, the fluid delivery system may comprise a center of gravity at a height of about 22 inches before the ballast cavity has been filled with stabilizing fluid, and a center of gravity at a height of about 11 inches after the ballast cavity has been filled with stabilizing fluid. In some examples, filling the ballast cavity with stabilizing fluid may increase a minimum force to slide the housing along the ground or to tip the housing over by a factor of up to 6. Filling the ballast cavity with stabilizing fluid may increase an amount of work to reach a tipping point of the housing by a factor of up to 10. For instance, the force and/or work may comprise wind, a collision from an athlete, a careless user, or a malicious action.

CONCLUSION

Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claimed invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A stabilizing ballast system comprising: a housing having a weight; a cavity disposed in a lower portion of an interior of the housing; a supply line comprising one or more tubes disposed in the housing, the supply line having: an input to receive a fluid from an exterior of the housing; a junction to receive fluid from the input and to split the fluid into: a first flow path to transport fluid through the housing to output the fluid from the housing; and a second flow path to dispense fluid to the interior of the housing, wherein the cavity is configured to store a volume of fluid dispensed from the second flow path, the volume of fluid having a weight at least four times greater than the weight of the housing.
 2. The stabilizing ballast system of claim 1, the supply line further comprising a valve disposed in the second flow path to control flow of fluid through the second flow path to the interior of the housing.
 3. A portable fluid delivery system comprising: a housing; a fitting disposed in a wall of the housing for receiving a fluid from a fluid source remote from the housing; a supply line formed by a plurality of interconnected fluid delivery components disposed in the housing, the supply line receiving fluid from the fitting; a first flow path communicatively coupled to the supply line to convey the fluid to a dispenser that dispenses the fluid out of the housing; and a second flow path communicatively coupled to the supply line to convey the fluid to an interior portion of the housing.
 4. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 3, wherein the interior portion comprises a cavity disposed in a bottom portion of the housing for collecting a stabilizing volume of the fluid.
 5. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 3, wherein the interior portion comprises a volume surrounding the plurality of interconnected fluid delivery components.
 6. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 3, wherein at least some of the plurality of interconnected fluid delivery components are coupled to an interior surface of a wall of the housing.
 7. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 3, further comprising a valve to regulate a flow of the fluid to the second flow path.
 8. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 7, further comprising a controller to control the valve to selectively permit the flow of the fluid.
 9. A portable fluid delivery system comprising: a housing; a plurality of fluid delivery components disposed in an interior space at least partially enclosed by the housing; an inlet to receive fluid from a pressurized fluid source and convey the fluid into the plurality of fluid delivery components; a distribution aperture communicatively coupled to the plurality of fluid delivery components to convey fluid into the interior space; and a dispensing component communicatively coupled to the plurality of fluid delivery components for dispensing fluid that was not conveyed to the interior space out of the housing to a user.
 10. The portable fluid delivery system of claim 9, wherein the distribution aperture comprises a mister. 